I chose this book because I have always loved and been fascinated by Sherlock Holmes. My dad began reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's tales of Sherlock Holmes and Watson to my brother and me when we were quite young. I like Sherlock Holmes because of the cleverness that he uses in solving mysteries and his personal quirky characteristics. He does bizarre research and looks for the strangest clues where no one else is looking. For example, he was one of the first literary detectives to use footprints to determine how tall and heavy a suspect was. He could tell just by looking at a footprint what kind of person the criminal was. It seems to me that all great detective stories lead back to Sherlock Holmes, even some of today's television shows about solving crimes such as CSI and Law and Order.
Another reason I chose this book is because it is the first teen series supported by the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Estate. I believe this should give it credibility as a good young Sherlock Holmes story. I wanted to read it to see if I agreed. The answer to that question would be yes, it does the original books justice.
Genres:
The genres of the book are young adult fiction and murder mystery. First, it is young adult fiction because the main characters are young adults. This story goes back in time and traces Sherlock Holmes' first case when he is fifteen years old. In the real stories Sherlock is about thirty-five years old. He uses more mature logic and reasoning in the original stories because he is an adult. He has more access to research and resources as well as many more years of life experience and knowledge of criminals. Because of that, I love the character, but I cannot relate to him as a person. In Death Cloud I relate to the way the character of Sherlock thinks and acts because he is my age.
This story fits into the murder mystery genre as well because young Sherlock is trying to find the murderer and mastermind behind the mysterious deaths of two men. It is a classic detective case. Sherlock looks for clues and details that will help him solve the crimes. Very often in this story, Sherlock finds himself in life-threatening situations in order to solve the mystery. These are classic elements of great murder mysteries. He also solves the mystery and brings the murderer to justice which is necessary in a good murder mystery.
Brief Summary:
This story is about young Sherlock Holmes and his first serious case. At the beginning, Sherlock finds himself on vacation from his boarding school in England with his older brother, Mycroft. They are staying with an aunt and uncle in the English countryside whom Sherlock greatly dislikes. Suddenly, Mycroft is called to London for business leaving Sherlock to his own devices. Sherlock meets a homeless boy named Matty who has come upon a dead body in the woods. He begins to investigate the crime after finding a second dead body. Both deaths seem to have been caused by the plague, but Sherlock believes that foul play is involved. He finds bee pollen near the scene of both crimes and takes it to his friend, Amyus Crowe, to have him confirm it. His investigation leads him to two run-ins with the mysterious Baron Maupertuis who captures him intending to kill him and his friends. Matty saves Sherlock just in time. I do not want to give away the ending of this story so I must end my summary here.
Important Characters:
The three most important characters in Death Cloud are Sherlock Holmes, Matty, and the Amyus Crowe. I chose these characters because they are the most influental and the most interesting characters. All of these characters move the action in the story along, and without them the story would have no meaning and purpose. Also, these were my three favorite characters in this story. Sherlock Holmes is the main character in the story Death Cloud. In this book, Sherlock is in the middle of nearly every situation, and the story mosty revolves around him. As Amyus Crowe stated, "You are a very clever young lad." This is a clear illustration of just how smart and clever he is and how much more mature he is thah the average fifteen year old. Sherlock is witty, clever, confident, and courageous. All of these are traits I would personally like to have. That is why I admire him so much. However, he is still just a boy. Amyus Crowe, the trusted adult friend of Sherlock, describes him this way: "Your mind is like a spinnin' wheel, rotating endlessly and pointlessly unitl threads are fed in, when it starts producin' yarn. Don't attempt to distinguish between important facts and trivial facts; they're all potentially important.' This shows that Sherlock, while intelligent beyond his years, is still behaving like a teenager with a lot to learn. This makes this book different from the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories because the reader gets to see how Sherlock started out, just a typical young boy. It makes it possible to relate better to the character, and it makes impossible dreams and goals seem possible when you look at the kind of detective he grew up to become.
There are many situations in the book when Sherlock faces grave danger. When he finds himself captured by the baron, he uses clever means by which to escape. For example, when he is trapped in the burning warehouse, he finds a rolling cart and uses it to smash through a piece of the wall which he knows is weak. Another time he uses his cleverness to escape danger is when he is being chased through London on foot by the baron. Sherlock uses important landmarks to identify which direction he needs to run. Many fifteen year olds would not be able to stop and think about these small details that could save their lives when in dangerous, frightening situations like these. This also shows his confidence in himself, which is unusual at an age when many boys don't feel great about themselves and their abiltities and strengths. An example of his wit is when he is being detained and threatened by the baron's henchman. They begin to threaten Sherlock and say they will take him away and kill him. He responds, "What if I don't want to go?" This is an example of his witty personality because it shows him, in the midst of danger, having an attitude and a sense of humor.
Another important character in this story is Matty. Matty is a homeless boy who Sherlock meets and befriends while on school vacation in the English countryside. There is not a lot of information about Matty and his personality, but there is a lot about his image and his apperance. Matty is described in the story as a rugged, hard-working teenager, probably the same age as Sherlock. He is no well educated which can be seen in this quote from the book: "If anybody calls me Gypsy, I usually punch them. And I don't belong to no circus either. I'm honest." This shows not only his poor language but also his rough life. Matty is homeless with no family and no friends and little to no possesions. His only possesions are his horse and his boat. "I've got a narrowboat, but I ain't got a family," he says about himself. Throughout the story, Matty tags along with Sherlock on his many adventures and is key in rescuing Sherlock more than once. Matty, in my opinon, can be described as Sherlock's trusted sidekick and some would say his "Watson" of this story. This decription is made because of Matty's willingnessl to travel, assist, and even rescue and save Sherlock in many of his adventures.
Amyus Crowe is another important character to this story. Amyus Crowe, an American, is a former government tracker whose job was to track down criminals, murders, and thieves in the United States. Crowe is the only adult in the story that Sherlock respects, trusts, and relies upon. When Sherlock first meets Crowe, he expects to be made a fool of. Instead Crowe compliments Sherlock and immediately takes a liking to him. Sherlock is quoted as saying, "He'd been prepared to be embarrassed and hurt, but Crowe didn't have a trace of critcism in his voice, and he was making a good point." This shows that Crowe understands Sherlock and his ways of thinking and reasoning. Because Amyus Crowe has a teenage daughter, he understands what it is like dealing with someone of Sherlock's age. He is also fatherly in his manner with Sherlock which is important because Sherlock's own father is not present in his life. It is seen throughout the story that Amyus has great respect for Sherlock and unlike many of the adults in the story, he tries to understand him.
New or Unusual Words from Death Cloud
1. assailants Sentence: "Sherlock glanced up at the bridge as the narrowboat passed beneath it, expecting a third oil lamp to come hurtling down onto his head, but their assailants appeared to have no more." My Definition: bad guys who are after you
2. spidery Sentence: "His handwriting was spidery, but Sherlock could just make out the words." My Definition: messy, hard to read handwriting
3. portico Sentence: "He pushed the gate open and approached the door which was protected by a Greek-style portico." My Definition: covered area by the door like an overhang
4. contentedly Sentence: "A rope attached to the front of the boat dipped towards the surface of the water, then rose again to where a horse contentedly ate its way along the grassy banks." My Definition: happily
5. succintly Sentence: "Snakes, he said, succintly." My Definition: being short with someone
6. laudanum Sentence: "I think it was laudanum- morphine dissolved in alcohol." My Definition: medicine from that time that was meant to knock a person out
Themes and Big Ideas
In Death Cloud, Sherlock Holmes is a young boy who is sometimes over looked due to his youth. For example, when he is attempting to explain where he has been and what he has seen to his uncle, his uncle immediately does not believe him and thinks that he is making all of it up as an excuse. Often people, especially teenagers and young people, will be telling the truth, and people will think that they are making it up. This happens a lot to young people because of their inexperience and because they often make things up to either impress people or to get out of trouble.
Also, Sherlock is doing a man's job as a detective which is unusual. Most people do not believe that kids can do the work of grown- ups especially the dark and difficult work of a murder detective. Usually, the world gives respect and credibility to people who have been educated for a certain job or who are experienced in life. A fifteen year old boy doesn't fit either of those categories. However, Sherlock is a master detective and more knowledgeable than some of the most experienced detective in London.
Another big idea in Death Cloud is the necessity of looking beyond the obvious. In this story Sherlock is the only person that knows of the deaths of the two men who thinks that they weren't cause by the plague. Sherlock looks beyond the obvious clues that would lead one to believe that the deaths of the two men were caused by the plague and discovers that foul play was involved, and it was not the plague that cause the deaths of the two men. Instead, Sherlock comes to the realization that a breed of rare Africanized Bees were set loose and killed the two men. Both in the old Sherlock Holmes stories and in this new book, what sets Sherlock apart from other detectives is his ability to see what others miss. This is important in life always and not just in a murder mystery.
Major Conflict
There are many major conflicts in this story, some of which are not physical but more mental problems. Sherlock finds himself at an odd age, an age which many believe to be one of the hardest ages that a person goes through in life, the teenage years. He is often ignored and misunderstood by not only his friends but his family. When Sherlock is solving the mystery, he encounters a mental roadblock. People don't believe him and his story of the bees and the Baron. Despite these problems, Sherlock never second guesses himself or his abilities. Sherlock is my age in this story so I know the kinds of feelings and emotions that he faces as he tries to work against the odds. In my opinion, this is the major conflict of Death Cloud. Even though the heart of the book's action is the murder mystery, it is his own growth and maturity which is the book's main conflict. The teenage years are very difficult in terms of confidence and maturity. Often, emotions run high, and sometimes good decisions are not made. This book shows a boy who is able to overcome the normal difficulties of being a teenager to become something more.
Sherlock also faces many physical conflicts in this story. Sherlock finds himself at odds with the baron, the mastermind behind the deaths of the two men. Sherlock finds himself in danger more than once in this story and is faced with tremendous adversity. He is captured on two different occasions, and is almost killed. Sherlock, however, keeps his composure and his ability to think clearly and makes good decisions that ultimately save his life the lives of others such as Matty, Amyus Crowe, and Mr. Crowe's daughter, Virginia.
Similarities in Art, Literature, Music, and Film
There are many examples of art, literature, music, and film which remind me of Death Cloud. First, I lived in England when I was very young and have been back there since, and this book reminds me of all of the beautiful castles and cathedrals there that are works of art in architecture. It also reminds me of the Victorian age of London that can be seen in many books, films, and paintings. For example, there are famous paintings such as a few by Claude Monet, which show a busy London scene that is gray and drizzling with rain. Everything looks dark and dreary, but there is still a lot going on in the city. Also, it reminds me of movies and television shows such as Downton Abbey and Gosford Park which also depict life in England in the past. In terms of music, I think of dramatic, danger music when I think of this book.
Obviously, this book is also very similar to many other adaptations of Sherlock Holmes in television and movies. Today there are many television shows that depict different versions of Sherlock Holmes. Just last year, there was a new Sherlock Holmes television show from England that depicts Sherlock as a modern day young man. It was very successful. Also, in the last couple of years, Robert Downey, Jr. has starred in two highly successful movies about Sherlock Holmes and his accomplice, Dr. Watson. This shows that the character of Sherlock Holmes has not been forgotten and lives on today.
There are many murder mystery novels and writers that are similar to Sherlock Holmes. First, Agatha Christie wrote hundreds of murder mysteries that are similar to Sherlock Holmes. Her detective, Hercule Poirot, is a lot like Sherlock in his attention to detail, looking beyond the obvious, and his odd personality. Even today, there are hundreds of new mystery novels each year that try to capture the spirit of Sherlock Holmes.
Goodreads.com Review
Jack Kelly
My Book Report on Death Cloud by Andrew Lane
Reasons I Chose This Book:
I chose this book because I have always loved and been fascinated by Sherlock Holmes. My dad began reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's tales of Sherlock Holmes and Watson to my brother and me when we were quite young. I like Sherlock Holmes because of the cleverness that he uses in solving mysteries and his personal quirky characteristics. He does bizarre research and looks for the strangest clues where no one else is looking. For example, he was one of the first literary detectives to use footprints to determine how tall and heavy a suspect was. He could tell just by looking at a footprint what kind of person the criminal was. It seems to me that all great detective stories lead back to Sherlock Holmes, even some of today's television shows about solving crimes such as CSI and Law and Order.Another reason I chose this book is because it is the first teen series supported by the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Estate. I believe this should give it credibility as a good young Sherlock Holmes story. I wanted to read it to see if I agreed. The answer to that question would be yes, it does the original books justice.
Genres:
The genres of the book are young adult fiction and murder mystery. First, it is young adult fiction because the main characters are young adults. This story goes back in time and traces Sherlock Holmes' first case when he is fifteen years old. In the real stories Sherlock is about thirty-five years old. He uses more mature logic and reasoning in the original stories because he is an adult. He has more access to research and resources as well as many more years of life experience and knowledge of criminals. Because of that, I love the character, but I cannot relate to him as a person. In Death Cloud I relate to the way the character of Sherlock thinks and acts because he is my age.This story fits into the murder mystery genre as well because young Sherlock is trying to find the murderer and mastermind behind the mysterious deaths of two men. It is a classic detective case. Sherlock looks for clues and details that will help him solve the crimes. Very often in this story, Sherlock finds himself in life-threatening situations in order to solve the mystery. These are classic elements of great murder mysteries. He also solves the mystery and brings the murderer to justice which is necessary in a good murder mystery.
Brief Summary:
This story is about young Sherlock Holmes and his first serious case. At the beginning, Sherlock finds himself on vacation from his boarding school in England with his older brother, Mycroft. They are staying with an aunt and uncle in the English countryside whom Sherlock greatly dislikes. Suddenly, Mycroft is called to London for business leaving Sherlock to his own devices. Sherlock meets a homeless boy named Matty who has come upon a dead body in the woods. He begins to investigate the crime after finding a second dead body. Both deaths seem to have been caused by the plague, but Sherlock believes that foul play is involved. He finds bee pollen near the scene of both crimes and takes it to his friend, Amyus Crowe, to have him confirm it. His investigation leads him to two run-ins with the mysterious Baron Maupertuis who captures him intending to kill him and his friends. Matty saves Sherlock just in time. I do not want to give away the ending of this story so I must end my summary here.Important Characters:
The three most important characters in Death Cloud are Sherlock Holmes, Matty, and the Amyus Crowe. I chose these characters because they are the most influental and the most interesting characters. All of these characters move the action in the story along, and without them the story would have no meaning and purpose. Also, these were my three favorite characters in this story.Sherlock Holmes is the main character in the story Death Cloud. In this book, Sherlock is in the middle of nearly every situation, and the story mosty revolves around him. As Amyus Crowe stated, "You are a very clever young lad." This is a clear illustration of just how smart and clever he is and how much more mature he is thah the average fifteen year old. Sherlock is witty, clever, confident, and courageous. All of these are traits I would personally like to have. That is why I admire him so much. However, he is still just a boy. Amyus Crowe, the trusted adult friend of Sherlock, describes him this way: "Your mind is like a spinnin' wheel, rotating endlessly and pointlessly unitl threads are fed in, when it starts producin' yarn. Don't attempt to distinguish between important facts and trivial facts; they're all potentially important.' This shows that Sherlock, while intelligent beyond his years, is still behaving like a teenager with a lot to learn. This makes this book different from the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories because the reader gets to see how Sherlock started out, just a typical young boy. It makes it possible to relate better to the character, and it makes impossible dreams and goals seem possible when you look at the kind of detective he grew up to become.
There are many situations in the book when Sherlock faces grave danger. When he finds himself captured by the baron, he uses clever means by which to escape. For example, when he is trapped in the burning warehouse, he finds a rolling cart and uses it to smash through a piece of the wall which he knows is weak. Another time he uses his cleverness to escape danger is when he is being chased through London on foot by the baron. Sherlock uses important landmarks to identify which direction he needs to run. Many fifteen year olds would not be able to stop and think about these small details that could save their lives when in dangerous, frightening situations like these. This also shows his confidence in himself, which is unusual at an age when many boys don't feel great about themselves and their abiltities and strengths. An example of his wit is when he is being detained and threatened by the baron's henchman. They begin to threaten Sherlock and say they will take him away and kill him. He responds, "What if I don't want to go?" This is an example of his witty personality because it shows him, in the midst of danger, having an attitude and a sense of humor.
Another important character in this story is Matty. Matty is a homeless boy who Sherlock meets and befriends while on school vacation in the English countryside. There is not a lot of information about Matty and his personality, but there is a lot about his image and his apperance. Matty is described in the story as a rugged, hard-working teenager, probably the same age as Sherlock. He is no well educated which can be seen in this quote from the book: "If anybody calls me Gypsy, I usually punch them. And I don't belong to no circus either. I'm honest." This shows not only his poor language but also his rough life. Matty is homeless with no family and no friends and little to no possesions. His only possesions are his horse and his boat. "I've got a narrowboat, but I ain't got a family," he says about himself. Throughout the story, Matty tags along with Sherlock on his many adventures and is key in rescuing Sherlock more than once. Matty, in my opinon, can be described as Sherlock's trusted sidekick and some would say his "Watson" of this story. This decription is made because of Matty's willingnessl to travel, assist, and even rescue and save Sherlock in many of his adventures.
Amyus Crowe is another important character to this story. Amyus Crowe, an American, is a former government tracker whose job was to track down criminals, murders, and thieves in the United States. Crowe is the only adult in the story that Sherlock respects, trusts, and relies upon. When Sherlock first meets Crowe, he expects to be made a fool of. Instead Crowe compliments Sherlock and immediately takes a liking to him. Sherlock is quoted as saying, "He'd been prepared to be embarrassed and hurt, but Crowe didn't have a trace of critcism in his voice, and he was making a good point." This shows that Crowe understands Sherlock and his ways of thinking and reasoning. Because Amyus Crowe has a teenage daughter, he understands what it is like dealing with someone of Sherlock's age. He is also fatherly in his manner with Sherlock which is important because Sherlock's own father is not present in his life. It is seen throughout the story that Amyus has great respect for Sherlock and unlike many of the adults in the story, he tries to understand him.
New or Unusual Words from Death Cloud
1. assailants
Sentence: "Sherlock glanced up at the bridge as the narrowboat passed beneath it, expecting a third oil lamp to come hurtling down onto his head, but their assailants appeared to have no more."
My Definition: bad guys who are after you
2. spidery
Sentence: "His handwriting was spidery, but Sherlock could just make out the words."
My Definition: messy, hard to read handwriting
3. portico
Sentence: "He pushed the gate open and approached the door which was protected by a Greek-style portico."
My Definition: covered area by the door like an overhang
4. contentedly
Sentence: "A rope attached to the front of the boat dipped towards the surface of the water, then rose again to where a horse contentedly ate its way along the grassy banks."
My Definition: happily
5. succintly
Sentence: "Snakes, he said, succintly."
My Definition: being short with someone
6. laudanum
Sentence: "I think it was laudanum- morphine dissolved in alcohol."
My Definition: medicine from that time that was meant to knock a person out
Themes and Big Ideas
In Death Cloud, Sherlock Holmes is a young boy who is sometimes over looked due to his youth. For example, when he is attempting to explain where he has been and what he has seen to his uncle, his uncle immediately does not believe him and thinks that he is making all of it up as an excuse. Often people, especially teenagers and young people, will be telling the truth, and people will think that they are making it up. This happens a lot to young people because of their inexperience and because they often make things up to either impress people or to get out of trouble.Also, Sherlock is doing a man's job as a detective which is unusual. Most people do not believe that kids can do the work of grown- ups especially the dark and difficult work of a murder detective. Usually, the world gives respect and credibility to people who have been educated for a certain job or who are experienced in life. A fifteen year old boy doesn't fit either of those categories. However, Sherlock is a master detective and more knowledgeable than some of the most experienced detective in London.
Another big idea in Death Cloud is the necessity of looking beyond the obvious. In this story Sherlock is the only person that knows of the deaths of the two men who thinks that they weren't cause by the plague. Sherlock looks beyond the obvious clues that would lead one to believe that the deaths of the two men were caused by the plague and discovers that foul play was involved, and it was not the plague that cause the deaths of the two men. Instead, Sherlock comes to the realization that a breed of rare Africanized Bees were set loose and killed the two men. Both in the old Sherlock Holmes stories and in this new book, what sets Sherlock apart from other detectives is his ability to see what others miss. This is important in life always and not just in a murder mystery.
Major Conflict
There are many major conflicts in this story, some of which are not physical but more mental problems. Sherlock finds himself at an odd age, an age which many believe to be one of the hardest ages that a person goes through in life, the teenage years. He is often ignored and misunderstood by not only his friends but his family. When Sherlock is solving the mystery, he encounters a mental roadblock. People don't believe him and his story of the bees and the Baron. Despite these problems, Sherlock never second guesses himself or his abilities. Sherlock is my age in this story so I know the kinds of feelings and emotions that he faces as he tries to work against the odds. In my opinion, this is the major conflict of Death Cloud. Even though the heart of the book's action is the murder mystery, it is his own growth and maturity which is the book's main conflict. The teenage years are very difficult in terms of confidence and maturity. Often, emotions run high, and sometimes good decisions are not made. This book shows a boy who is able to overcome the normal difficulties of being a teenager to become something more.Sherlock also faces many physical conflicts in this story. Sherlock finds himself at odds with the baron, the mastermind behind the deaths of the two men. Sherlock finds himself in danger more than once in this story and is faced with tremendous adversity. He is captured on two different occasions, and is almost killed. Sherlock, however, keeps his composure and his ability to think clearly and makes good decisions that ultimately save his life the lives of others such as Matty, Amyus Crowe, and Mr. Crowe's daughter, Virginia.
Similarities in Art, Literature, Music, and Film
There are many examples of art, literature, music, and film which remind me of Death Cloud. First, I lived in England when I was very young and have been back there since, and this book reminds me of all of the beautiful castles and cathedrals there that are works of art in architecture. It also reminds me of the Victorian age of London that can be seen in many books, films, and paintings. For example, there are famous paintings such as a few by Claude Monet, which show a busy London scene that is gray and drizzling with rain. Everything looks dark and dreary, but there is still a lot going on in the city. Also, it reminds me of movies and television shows such as Downton Abbey and Gosford Park which also depict life in England in the past. In terms of music, I think of dramatic, danger music when I think of this book.Obviously, this book is also very similar to many other adaptations of Sherlock Holmes in television and movies. Today there are many television shows that depict different versions of Sherlock Holmes. Just last year, there was a new Sherlock Holmes television show from England that depicts Sherlock as a modern day young man. It was very successful. Also, in the last couple of years, Robert Downey, Jr. has starred in two highly successful movies about Sherlock Holmes and his accomplice, Dr. Watson. This shows that the character of Sherlock Holmes has not been forgotten and lives on today.
There are many murder mystery novels and writers that are similar to Sherlock Holmes. First, Agatha Christie wrote hundreds of murder mysteries that are similar to Sherlock Holmes. Her detective, Hercule Poirot, is a lot like Sherlock in his attention to detail, looking beyond the obvious, and his odd personality. Even today, there are hundreds of new mystery novels each year that try to capture the spirit of Sherlock Holmes.
Original Image by Jack Kelly